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Megan Gustafson named Big Ten Player of the Year

Photo by Jeff Yoder.

By Hawkeyesports.com

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa senior Megan Gustafson has been named the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, as voted on by the coaches and media, the conference office announced on BTN’s Women’s Sports Report on Monday.

Gustafson also earned unanimous first team All-Big Ten honors (coaches & media) and was named to the coach’s All-Defensive team. Junior Kathleen Doyle earned first team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and second team accolades from the media. Senior Tania Davis was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media, while senior Hannah Stewart was named Iowa’s Sportsmanship Award honoree.

Gustafson, a native of Port Wing, Wisconsin, is just the fifth Hawkeye in program history to be named Big Ten Player of the Year and the first to earn the honor twice. She is now a three-time All-Big Ten honoree. The All-Defensive team honor is the first of her career.

In 18 conference contests this season, Gustafson averaged 28.4 points, 13.8 rebounds, and shot 68.7 percent from the field. She registered 20 or more points in 17 of Iowa’s 18 games, including seven 30-point games. Gustafson grabbed 10 or more rebounds 17 times.

Gustafson ended the regular season ranked in the top-5 nationally in eight statistical categories. She leads the nation in field goal percentage (70.8), points per game (27.7), field goals made (332), and total points (802), ranks second in double-doubles (27) and defensive rebounds per game (10), third in total rebounds (385), and fourth in rebounds per game (13.3).

Doyle earns the second All-Big Ten honor of her career. In 18 conference games, Doyle averaged 12.9 points, a Big Ten-best 6.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 steals. She has scored in double figures in 15 of Iowa’s 18 conference contests, and dished out five or more assists 15 times.

The LaGrange Park, Illinois, native finished the regular season ranked 12th nationally in assists per game (6.0) and 33rd in assist/turnover ratio (2.36).

Davis earns the first All-Big Ten honors of her career. Davis averaged 10.4 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in conference action this season. She netted double figures in 10 conference matchups this season, including a 21-point performance (8-for-10 FG) against Minnesota on Jan. 14.

The Flint, Michigan, native finished the regular season ranked 30th in assist/turnover ratio (2.4 and 60th in total assists (132).

The No. 10/11 Hawkeyes open the 2019 Big Ten Tournament on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (CT). Iowa faces the winner of Thursday’s matchup between seventh-seeded Minnesota and 10th-seeded Indiana.